Laughter in Dreams
by MnM1803
Summary: Just when you think you have moved on the sound of laughter can pull you back in.


Hello everyone. I have been super busy with work so even though I have a ton of story ideas I only had time for a short story right now. I came up with this one after listening to The Airborne Toxic Event's song _Sometime Around Midnight. _I hope you like it and feel free to review.

I know that laugh. I knew it well once upon a time, but there's no way I should be hearing it here. That laugh should be across the continent with person it belonged to finishing finishing her degree at Hearst College so she could go off and work for he FBI or whatever her 5 year plan had in store. I'm not even sure what her plan involves anymore other then the fact it didn't involve me. I'd thought there was a chance at reconcilation that day at school. I'd even gone and apologized to that boyfriend of hers for beating him up. Then I'd gone on and beat the crap out of the guy who actually deserved it. She'd given me that smile then. The one I had thought as MY smile, the one she gave to only me. As I walked away I thought for sure that in 2 days tops she would have dumped Piz and been with me again. I was half right anyway. She and Piz had been broken up less then 2 days later. I hung around like a puppy waiting for her to come back to me, but she never came. At least not to get back together.

About a week after the day I had beaten up Gory she showed up at my room. I had been sitting with Dick on the couch playing video games when we heard the knock on the door. We both looked at each daring the other to be the one to get up and get the room service we'd ordered. As we sat there the knock came again and finally with a sigh Dick gave up and went to answer the door. He didn't find food service there though.

"Look what the wind has blown in. I just remembered that I have a frat meeting tonight. I'll see ya. Try to keep it in your room man. The last thing I want to see when I get back is the miraculous reunion number 4 (or is it 5?) happening on in front of me on the couch I have to sit on," Dick said as he let Veronica in to see me. As he was walking out the door he caught the looks they were both giving him and said, "What, man? I'm just saying I don't need to add that visual to my potentially scaring for life file in my brain. I got enough there already and let's not lie that is what usually happens between you too in this point of this rollorcoaster ride of a relationship you too have going. Peace."

Then it was just the two of us. Veronica and I. We just stared at each other for a few minutes. I was waiting for her to tell me what she was doing here. She took a step toward me and opened her mouth to say something to me when there was another knock at my door.

"Must be the room service we ordered," I told her. Sure enough when I opened the door there was my food waiting. By the time I had that all taken care of she had moved away from the door and was standing by the couch and she was staring at me again.

"Is everything ok?" I asked trying to get the ball rolling.

"Dick's right," she blurted out so fast I was almost unsure of what she said.

"What?"

"I know. I can't belive I said that either, but he is. Our relationship was a rollercoaster of intense highs followed by even more intense lows. I came here to tell you it's really done. I know this is about the time something would drag us back together, but I can't do it again, Logan. I just can't. I love you but it's a love that breaks us whenever we try to make it work. I wat to say we can stay friends but I am not sure if that is realistic or not. There may be just to much between us," as she finished she finally looked me in the eyes and I saw the tears threatening to spill. Those tears combined with the resolved look in her eyes let me know she meant it. She was out the door with one more tear filled look before I even had time to collect my thoughts. I was wrong. We weren't epic. We were just doomed just like Romeo and Juliet, or Tony and Maria. Although we didn't physically die in the end of our story it sure felt like one of us had.

That was the last time I really talked to Veronica. I saw her around school the rest of that semester, but mostly we avoided each other. At the end of that semester I transferred to New York. I always had been good a telling stories. I decided I wanted to be a writer. I took classes on writing but I was spending most of my time writing. I lost track of Veronica pretty quickly. It's not like we had any mutual friends. Occasionally Dick would mention something he heard about her but he quickly realized I didn't want to know. I was trying to move on.

I wish I could say I did move on, but she popped up everywhere. In memories, in stories I told my east coast friends, in my dreams, and in the book I had just written. It's not like it's biography about her or anything, but without meaning to the main character just began picking up some of the characteristics I loved about her, her wit, her fearlesses, her strength, but mostly the vulnerablity she hid beneath the tough exterior.

Anyway back to today. I had come out tonight to the bar that my friends and I usually hung out at to celebrate the fact that I had found out that my first book was going to be published. We were all at our usual table up in the balcony hanging around, joking with each other, and having a good time when I heard that laugh, HER laugh. I was sure it couldn't be her though. Then I looked down and there she was at the bar talking to some guy I didn't know. At first I was sure it wasn't her. This girl was wearing a white dress, strappy heels, and an honest to goodness happy smile. Something I knew Veronica wouldn't have worn since the night of that infamous party. I was pretty sure she hadn't seen me. I sat back nursing drinks just watching this girl that I thought I would never have to see hanging all over another guy again. I couldn't help but wonder who this guy was with her and what he had that could make her so happy when I couldn't and then she looked up and caught my eye. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized who was looking at her. She turned around and grabbed a napkin and a pen and quickly wrote something down. I watched her whisper something to the guy she was with and then made her way towards me.

"How are you doing Logan?" she asks me like we had seen each other just yesterday.

I honestly have no idea what I said to her then. I know I managed to make some small talk and after a short conversation where I mostly stared at her in a drunken haze she gave me a half smile, said goodbye, and walked back to that damn guy and away from me. I watched as the two of them walked towards the door with his arm around her. Then right before they walked outside she looked up at me with a sad little smile full of regret before hurrying out the door.

I stood by as I watched the love of my life walk out the door on me for a second time in as many years. My friends are all trying to get my attention and ask who that hot chick was that I had been talking to but I was lost in my mind. All the memories I had been trying to bury about the two of us were fighting to the surface fighting each other to be the one at the top of my mind. Only after a couple minutes of this did I realize that had something in my hand that hadn't been there before.

I looked down and noticed it was a napkin and for some reason it wasn't until I'd opened it and recognized her handwriting that I realized it was the napkin she had written on earlier.

Logan,

I'm sorry we never could work things out between us. I always knew I'd have to see you someday. It's harder than I thought it would be though. I'll always love you. Like you said, "Our story was epic." Unfortunately for us it was a tragedy. I hope you find someone or something that makes you truly happy in a way I never could.

Love,

Veronica

As I looked at the letter I knew I would always keep it. Our lives my never intertwine again but I know I'll always love her and I know she'll always love me and that for now is all I need to make me happy.


End file.
